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The South Street Seaport Museum’s Pioneer schooner.
(Photo: Courtesy of South Street Seaport Museum)
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NEW YORK CITY BOAT TOURS
| Tour Routes | Guide | Price | The Lowdown | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The longest cruise circles the isle of Manhattan, while the shorter ones stick to the southern half. Most Popular Tour: 2 Hour-Semicircle Toura cruise down the Hudson, around the Battery, then up the East River as far as the U.N. before heading back again. Duration of Tours: 75 minutes to 3 hours. |
Guides point out sites of interest on shore. | Adults and children, $20–$29.50. Buy online. You must redeem vouchers for tickets at the Circle Line Box Office at Pier 83 near West 42nd Street. The 75-minute tour operates from May through October. All other cruises operate year-round. |
The reputation, price, and comprehensiveness (not to mention the life preservers) make this a safe bet. | |
| Trips take place on an amphibious vehicle, which starts and ends on land at Times Square but splashes down in the Hudson River for a fifteen-minute cruise, too. Most Popular Tour: Only one route. Duration of Tour: 1 hour. |
"Captain" (driver) and "First Mate" (tour guide) provide insight into the passing attractions. | Adults and children, $27. Buy online. Bring your confirmation and a photo I.D. to the boarding location. This tour only operates April through December. |
You won't see much of interest once seaborne, but how often do you get to pretend to be Henry Hudson? | |
| The shorter Lady Liberty cruise stays within the harbor at the southern end of Manhattan, while the others (Architecture, History, Nighttime, etc.) take a longer, semi-circular route from one of side of midtown to the other. Most Popular Tour: Skyline Cruise Duration of Tours: 50 to 90 minutes |
Tour guides on all ships offer factoids and commentary on the shoreline attractions. | Adults and children, $16–$23. Buy online. Cruises generally operate between June and December. |
Like Dr. Ruth, these themed cruises are entertaining, educational, and relatively short. | |
| New York Water Taxi | A dozen stops are scattered around midtown, downtown, Brooklyn, and Queens. Hop on and off at any stop with your one- or two-day pass. The one-hour Gateway to America tour explores the harbor in particular. Most Popular Tour: Only one harbor cruise is offered. Duration of Tour: 1 hour for Harbor Cruise; hop-on-hop-off tickets are good for one to two days. |
The harbor cruise's narration is prerecorded by Kathleen Turner and National Park Service Rangers. | Adults and children, $20–$30. Reservations are not required; tickets can be bought at any one of a dozen piers (see map). Hop-on-hop-off service operates according to weather, usually from mid-April to mid-October. |
Those with a keen interest in military installations on the harbor—or in the deep, throaty voice of Kathleen Turner—should opt for the Gateway tour. |
| Tour routes vary greatly depending on the day. From May through October, there are two-hour trips aboard the schooner Pioneer or four-hour rides on the restored 1930 wooden tugboat, the W.O. Decker. (A box lunch and beverage come with this package.) Most Popular Tour: The Pioneer hosts twice-monthly wine-tastings. Duration of Tours: 2 to 4 hours. |
An educator from the museum serves as a guide on every tour. | Adults and children, $100. Buy online. Tours run from March through October. |
Each tour has a different theme, so choose carefully or you'll end up seeing Brooklyn's waterfront factories and warehouses when you hoping to see Chelsea Piers and the 79th Street Boat Basin. |

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